1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to the field of housings for electrical switches, such as button switches. More specifically, the housings hide and protect the buttons.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
New electronic systems devices, such as telecommunications servers, network servers, personal computers, and the like, derive from the efforts of planning and design teams. These teams are tasked with responsibilities that include adding new capabilities into existing systems, as well as building new products. Design and production schedules may be developed according to a strict timetable in an effort to get new products to market as soon as possible. It is frequently the case that new developments in electronic systems are rapidly overtaken and surpassed in an innovative marketplace.
As new products are being developed, future system enhancements may be planned for development and release that is scheduled to occur after the initial product release. Thereafter, the system may be sold with the enhancements intact, or a base model may be sold with an upgrade pathway for inclusion of the enhancements. The enhancements typically include hardware and related software.
An upgrade pathway may include, for example, adding additional busses or sockets for incorporating modular cards. The system housings may also, for example, be provided with switches or buttons that are needed for operator interaction according to planned improvements.
An array of nonfunctional buttons may be added to establish the upgrade pathway. These buttons are susceptible to damage or they may become fouled with debris before their use is actually required. It is desirable to provide a cover that protects such buttons, however, the cover must also permit free use of the buttons once the upgrade occurs. In order to avoid operator confusion as to the purpose of these nonfunctional buttons, it is also desirable that the cover hides the buttons from view until such time as an upgrade renders the buttons functional.
A button cover according to the principles described herein overcomes the problems described above and advances the art by providing a channel cover that prevents damage to the buttons, protects the buttons from debris, and/or hides the buttons from view until such time as the buttons are needed.
The channel cover according to the instrumentalities described herein comprises a central bight connected to a first leg and a second leg to define a recess therebetween. The first leg comprises a wall of transverse orientation with respect to the bight, and a lip protruding from the wall into the recess. The channel cover has sufficient flexion to permit expansion of the recess to accommodate the button when the lip passes over the button as the button is inserted into the recess. The channel cover may be used to cover a single button or, in an elongated configuration, it is capable of covering a plurality of the buttons when they are arranged in a row. The wall of the first leg preferably has sufficient length to prevent depression of the button when the channel cover is installed in the mating engagement over the button.
In especially preferred embodiments, the channel cover includes a nib protruding into the recess opposite the lip, and this nib engages complimentary structure on the button to secure the channel cover in place.
In still other embodiments, the lip comprises an upper face extending in parallel with the bight. The upper face may be formed of a raised rim that is set off a distance from the wall of the first leg.
The transverse orientation of the wall of the first leg does not have to be a right angle orientation and may, for example, comprise an oblique angle orientation between respective planar surfaces of the wall and the bight.
The aforementioned channel cover may be used according to a method comprising the steps of placing the lip into the complimentary female groove with the second leg resting atop the button, and pressing down on the channel cover to flex the channel cover as the channel cover expands to accommodate the button into the recess. The channel cover may thereafter be detached from the button by pulling straight up on the channel cover.
For example, a button or contact switch may be placed proximate a PCI bus to control delivery of electrical current to the bus. The button could be depressed if an operator desires either to insert or remove a card from the bus, in order that the task may be accomplished without having to power down the entire device.